the teacher educators’ journal -...

TheTeacher

Educators’Journal

A Journal of theAssociation of Teacher Educators

Virginia

Spring 2011Volume 18

Editor: Leigh L. [email protected]

Old Dominion UniversityEducation Building Room 152

Norfolk, VA. 23529

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Association of Teacher Educators – Virginia

President:Dorothy Justus Sluss, Ph.D.Associate ProfessorJames Madison University800 S. Main Street - MSC 6909Harrisonburg, VA [email protected]

President Elect:Alice YoungMarymount [email protected]

Secretary:David CoffmanBridgewater [email protected]

Journal Reviewers:

Karen Bosch– Virginia Wesleyan CollegeChris Gareis – College of William and MaryDenis Jones – Longwood UniversityClaire Robinson – Virginia State UniversityPeggy Schimmoeller – Randolph- Macon CollegeMaria Stallions – Roanoke CollegeSamuel Smith – Liberty UniversityMarsha Spraque – Christopher Newport UniversitySharon Teabow – University of Mary Washington

Executive Director:Patricia ShoemakerRadford UniversityP.O. Box 6960Radford, VA [email protected]

Treasurer:Linda BradleyJames Madison [email protected]

The Teacher Educators Journal

Published by the Association ofTeacher Educators –Virginia

Contents

President’s FarewellDorothy Justus Sluss.......................................................................5

Letter to U.S. News &World ReportBrian Kelly, Editor ..........................................................................7

Evaluating the Instructional Effectiveness of One College’sPre-Service Teacher E-Portfolio Development ProcessAimee M. Brenner and Jennifer M. Brill ......................................11

Implementation of Service-Learning in Language Courses:A Pilot Experience

Beatriz Huarte Macione ................................................................27

Student Perception of Professional Education OrganizationsAmanda B. McMillian and Michelle B. Goodwin.........................41

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5

To Our Members,

Thank you for your support of teacher education through yourmembership in the Association of Teacher Education-Virginia. Asan organization, we are committed to improving teachereducation. We do this by meeting to engage in meaningfuldialogue, sharing the most current research, and engaging innetworking sessions. Frequently, we take these relationships forgranted. We assume that everyone knows what we know aboutour field and our organization. Given the end of my tenure asPresident and at the risk of being redundant, I want to highlightthe work of the organization during this past year so you willknow why your involvement is critically important at this time.

In the fall, we met for our annual meeting at Sweet Briar College.Our meeting provided an opportunity to discuss teachereducation with leaders from across the state as we met with theSecretary of Education and Department of Education. Memberswho attended the national conference shared their expertise andwe learned that Jim Alouf was elected President of ATE. Jim is thefirst Virginian to receive this honor. We were elated. Overall, thestate of our professional organization was stable and so it seemedthat teacher education was valued as a high quality endeavor.

The change in the seasons was accompanied by the forecast ofstorms of criticism when the U.S. News &World Reportannounced that it was teaming with NCTQ (National Council ofTeacher Quality) to evaluate teacher education programs in thenation. Although this sounds innocuous enough, the work ofNCTQ has been criticized by mainstream educational leadershipgroups due to their failure to adhere to traditional researchguidelines as well as their focus on alternative methods tolicensure. To counter their action, the executive board of theVirginia Association of College of Teacher Education and theAssociation of Teacher Education –Virginia worked diligently torespond to their request. A letter was drafted to the editor, BrianKelly, explaining why Virginia Institutions of Higher Educationwould not be participating in this action. Letters to the leadershipin Richmond were also posted. The letter that was sent to BrianKelley is included in this edition of the ATE-Virginia Journal.

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With the onset of spring, we are looking forward to our meetingat Sweet Briar. We weathered the winter storm by workingtogether. As we enjoy the drive through the rural roads ofVirginia, we may tend to take our meeting for granted. The workthat we accomplished because we met cannot overstated.Without the joint leadership of both groups, we would not havehad an opportunity to have an impact at the national movement.Take a moment to provide a special thanks to Jurgen Combs, PatShoemaker, Phil Wishon, Sue Magliaro, Cathy Fisher, and othermembers of the executive boards. They represented your interestswell.

As we move into summer, I will turn the gavel over to AliceYoung, the next President of ATE-Virginia. We support herleadership by maintaining our membership in ATE-Virginia andencouraging others to do so. When we speak with one voice forchildren-one voice for teacher education-we roar. Thank you forallowing me to be a part of the roar.

Dorothy Justus SlussPresident, ATE-Virginia

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Mr. Brian Kelly, EditorU.S. News &World Report1050 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20007-3837PH: 202-955-2000

February 3, 2011

On January 25, 2011, deans of schools of education andinstitutional representatives received a request to participate in acomprehensive review of teacher preparation programs across theUnited States to be conducted by the National Council on TeacherQuality in partnership with U.S. News and World Report. We arecommitted to ensuring that our programs prepare strong teacherswho can reach and teach diverse learners. Evaluation of programsis essential to continuous improvement. We write to address howwe can collaborate with U.S. News and World Report inestablishing a valid and reliable survey of the state of teacherpreparation programs.

An extensive array of data and reports are already availableto the public which might provide resources for such a project.Our schools, colleges, and departments of education (SCDE’s)work in close partnership with PK-12 schools in designing,implementing, and evaluating preparation programs. Weregularly complete state and federal reports regarding thestructure of our programs; descriptions of coursework and extentand quality of field experiences; admission requirements; profilesof our candidates; enrollments and graduation rates; facultyqualifications, teaching, service, and scholarly productivity; anddescriptions of program assessment plans and how we use resultsof assessments to improve candidate performance, programs, andunit operations.

Association of Teacher Educatorsin Virginia

V I R G I N I AASSOCIATIONOF COLLEGESOF TEACHEREDUCATION

VACTE One Voice for EducationOne Voice for Education

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Programs implement annual assessments that are alignedwith state and national standards which outline what candidatesshould know and be able to do regarding subject matterknowledge and professional and pedagogical knowledge andskills based on current research. Programs are required to ensureand document the impact of candidates upon K-12 studentlearning. Candidates must pass rigorous licensure exams todemonstrate their mastery of basic proficiency skills in reading,writing, and mathematics; subject matter knowledge (Virginia’scut scores are among the highest in the nation); and knowledgeand skills for the teaching of reading. These data and reports arefar more comprehensive than what is suggested in theTomorrow’s Teachers project, which appears to plan to onlyreview candidate profiles from PEDS and available print-copydescriptions of “inputs” such as course syllabi, handbooks,program descriptions, etc.

We applaud and share the commitment of the NationalCouncil of Teacher Quality “to ensure that every child has aneffective teacher.” However, based upon a lengthy history ofexperiences of several institutions and states in similar projectsconducted by NCTQ, we have serious concerns regardingNCTQ’s capacity to conduct a valid and reliable project. For asample of letters from institutions and agencies outlining concernsplease see: http://aacte.org/index.php?/Traditional-Media/Resources/aacte-members-respond-to-nctq-qresearchq-efforts.html. In order to use the results of such projects to assess ourprograms and improve what we do, we must have confidence inthe results of the project. Moreover, the public deserves valid andreliable results.

NCTQ states its ‘method’ for its evaluation includes tenstandards which have a limited or non-existent research basisand, unlike other state and national standards, have not beenvetted by any external agent. NCTQ has not shared anyinformation regarding the protocol for the conduct of the project:e.g., the kinds of data collected, scoring methods, ratercharacteristics and inter-rater reliability---common expectationsamong those conducting research with high-stakes results thatwill be reported publicly, particularly in national ratings of projectparticipants. A number of institutions and states have hadexperiences with NCTQ’s evaluation process that raise concerns

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about the reliability and accuracy of the data they collect and theinferences they draw from the data. Institutions have had severalexperiences in which NCTQ did not correct factual errors whenthese were identified. A factual basis for inferences in the resultsof projects was often absent.

Of special concern is that, according to the FAQ documentavailable on the NCTQ website(http://www.nctq.org/edschoolreports/national/faq.jsp):

NCTQ and U.S. News &World Report will publishratings of how well the vast majority of teacherpreparation programs meet the standards of the review,regardless of these programs' degree of cooperation. Forall programs, some of the information needed for thereview is publicly available, and will be used as thebasis of NCTQ's judgment. If an institution that choosesnot to cooperate is a public university, NCTQ plans tomake open records requests to gather thedocumentation the review requires. And in cases wherewe cannot get documents needed to make ratings,NCTQ will declare that the institution failed to meet thestandards in question.

This seems to be contrary to USNWR practice in how itcarries out similar projects. Such a policy violates acceptedpractice in research and evaluation. Thus we assume this is not aqualified research, survey, rating, or evaluation project andUSNWR should not promote it as such. An outside consumer ofthe results of this project would never know if an institution trulyfailed the review, or on what criteria it fell short, or if it simplydid not participate. Importantly, this implied coercion casts doubton the results of the entire project. It is so out of step withaccepted practice in research and evaluation that it isincomprehensible why NCTQ and USNWR have adopted thisstance.

U.S. News and World Report could view this appeal assimply a matter of opposing viewpoints. Or it could decide todelve further to consider these concerns and rise to the level ofU.S. News and World Report’s established reputation record ofthoughtful, informed, and responsible journalism including

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efforts to provide valid and reliable information to itsconstituencies.

Thank you for considering the concerns of the VirginiaAssociation of Colleges of Teacher Education and the Associationof Teacher Educators in Virginia. Along with our appreciation foryour consideration of our concerns, we offer our assistance withinitiatives you wish to undertake to report the status of thenation’s teacher preparation programs in the most accurate andreliable light possible.

H. Jurgen Combs, Ed. D.President, The Association of College of Teacher Education inVirginiaProfessor, School of Education & Human DevelopmentShenandoah University44160 Scholar Plaza, Suite 100Leesburg, VA [email protected]/540-822-0692

Dorothy Justus Sluss, Ph.D.President, The Association of Teacher Educators in VirginiaAssociate ProfessorJames Madison University800 S. Main Street - MSC 6909Harrisonburg, VA [email protected]/ (540) 568-5537

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Evaluating the Instructional Effectiveness ofOne College’s Pre-Service TeacherE-Portfolio Development Process

Aimee M. Brenner, Doctoral StudentVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Faculty Development Institute

Jennifer M. Brill, Assistant ProfessorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

School of Education

AbstractThe purpose of this evaluation study was to determine the instructionaleffectiveness of the electronic portfolio (e-portfolio) that all teachercandidates in a college’s education program must defend upon theircompletion of student teaching. The results of the evaluation andcorresponding recommendations can be used to improve the existinge-portfolio development process and to further refine the data collectioninstrument as well as, more broadly, inform current e-portfolio practice.

This pilot evaluation study focused on teacher candidates ata small, private, liberal arts college located in the mid-Atlanticregion of United States and pseudonymed Rosselin College (RC).Each teacher candidate at this college is required to take an

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instructional technology course during their educational studies.In this course, teacher candidates learn how the appropriate use ofinstructional technologies can increase teacher effectiveness andefficiency, help the teacher stay current, and revitalize theclassroom. In addition, the teacher candidates learn how todevelop the major components of an electronic portfolio (e-portfolio).

During the instructional technology course, teachercandidates learn how to use Microsoft Word to create Web pagesand Photoshop Elements to create graphics. With proficiency inthese two tools in place and a sample e-portfolio to use as amodel, teacher candidates build their teaching e-portfolios andsave them on network drives provided by the college. Teachercandidates continue to add to their e-portfolios throughout theteacher education program. Upon graduation, teacher candidatesare encouraged to save their e-portfolios to CD to share withprospective employers, as the college’s network drives can onlyaccommodate their e-portfolios while they are enrolled asstudents.

The e-portfolio documents a teacher candidate’s mastery ofthe four learning goals established by RC’s teacher educationprogram: content, pedagogy, practice, and progress. Contentaddresses the central topics of a discipline. Pedagogy representsthe ability to understand and develop compelling instruction.Practice is the implementation of instruction that reflectspedagogical mastery. Progress is the demonstration that thestudent understands how to grow as a professional teacher.

The teacher candidate demonstrates mastery of theprogram's conceptual framework by incorporating personallyrelevant information, an educational philosophy, daily lesson orunit plans, assessment samples, innovative classroom activities,professional experiences, photos, and/or presentation slides intothe e-portfolio. The e-portfolio must be presented at theconclusion of student teaching in digital format and is evaluatedby the student teacher’s college supervisor and, through an oraldefense, by a committee of at least three faculty members.

The academic year 2007-2008 was only the second year thatthe e-portfolio incorporated the department’s goals and requiredteacher candidates to demonstrate mastery of them. A pilot studywas designed as a means for RC to evaluate the effectiveness of

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the revised e-portfolio experience. A customized survey wasdeveloped to determine if the inclusion of the e-portfolio:improved the teacher candidate’s instructional technology skills;improved the teacher candidate’s mastery of the targeteddepartmental goals; aided teacher candidates in the job searchprocess; and, provided technological experiences that wereapplicable in classroom instruction.

Theoretical Framework

Barrett (2007) defines the portfolio as a mechanism thatholds the work a learner has carefully collected, referred to asartifacts, to demonstrate his/her growth in one or moredesignated areas over time. Approximately 89% of institutionswith teacher education programs utilize some sort of portfolio-based assessment (Salzman, Denner & Harris, 2002). Withadvances in digital media and the onslaught of the standardsmovement, a majority of these institutions are now or willtransition to e-portfolios (Lynch & Purnawarman, 2004).E-portfolios can serve a plethora of purposes from evaluation torecruitment (Brandes & Boskic, 2008; Wang, 2009) and can appearin many different formats (Strudler & Wetzel, 2008). Suchpotential diversity can, however, add to the confusion of whattype and format will best suit the varying needs of learners atdifferent institutions. Choices can be informed by conducting aformative evaluation through which data are collected todetermine the effectiveness of current formats and identify areasfor improvement (Russ-Eft & Preskill, 2001). The opportunity forsuch data-based guidance provided a strong rationale forperforming an evaluation of the fairly young e-portfolio process atRosselin College.

Recent research indicates that for the e-portfolio to be asignificant learning experience, it must be a construction thatmoves beyond a simple compilation of teaching artifacts (Brandes& Boskic, 2008) or that exists for the goal of merely satisfying a setof institutional standards to aid in accreditation (Wilhelm et al.,2006). The e-portfolio should also be a vehicle through which theeducation student begins to develop his/her sense of being as aprofessional teacher (Hallman, 2007). RC’s intentional reshapingof the e-portfolio experience around departmental goals

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represents such an extension of the e-portfolio as a moremeaningful part of professional learning and development.RC’s e-portfolios are, of course, evaluated by the faculty.However, research indicates that it is also important tounderstand how students view the e-portfolio concept, process,and development (Ritzhaupt, Singh, Seyferth & Dedrick, 2008)and, more broadly, how students view technologicalinnovativeness and integration, in general (Williams, Foulger, &Wetzel, 2009). Thus, a priority for this evaluation was to provide apreliminary picture to RC faculty of how their studentsconceptualized the e-portfolio process in order to provide data-based recommendations that emphasized the student perspective.

Methods

Data for this evaluation project were collected through acustomized survey (see Appendix A) that was administered to RCeducation student graduates. The survey was composed of 14Likert scale questions; five open-ended questions and onedemographic question. To increase the validity of the newlydeveloped survey instrument, so that it might be utilized withmore confidence in a larger and more formal evaluation, it wasfirst piloted with participants representative of the targetpopulation.

Procedures

The cover letter and survey were disseminated to educationstudent graduates via email and returned in the same fashion.With the goal of enhancing the return rate, the cover letteridentified the significance of the data to be collected and how thefindings might be utilized. Data were analyzed using bothquantitative and qualitative analysis methods. Likert scaleresponses ranged from one to five (1-Strongly Disagree; 2-Disagree; 3-Neither Agree nor Disagree; 4-Agree; 5-StronglyAgree) and results were reported through descriptive statistics(mean values and percentiles). Open-ended comments werecoded for emergent themes across surveys.

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Participants

RC’s department of education revised its conceptualframework and goals during the summer of 2006. During the fallof 2006, the e-portfolio format reflected these changes. Therefore,the potential pool of study participants consisted of educationstudents who completed their e-portfolios under the new formatfrom the fall of 2006 until the fall of 2007 (just prior to studyinception), approximately 35 education students over the courseof three semesters. Since this study was a pilot, the actual sampleincluded student teachers that had completed their e-portfolios inthe fall of 2007; the potential benefits being that the experience ofcompleting the e-portfolio was still fresh in mind and that all werereadily available for contact. The pilot survey was sent to tenindividuals and completed and returned by nine; a reasonablesize for a pilot but certainly a recognized limitation of the study.

Findings, Recommendations, and Conclusions

Findings indicate that the e-portfolio development processhad a positive impact on student teachers in four areas: (a)improvement in technology skills and usage; (b) progress towardmastery of department-established developmental goals; (c)establishment of a resource for job searches; and (d) transfer ofknowledge and skills gained to the workplace. Detailed findingsin each of these four categories follow.

Technology Skills and Usage

The first key evaluation question to be answered by thisstudy was: To what degree did the e-portfolio experience improvea teacher candidate’s general technology and instructionaltechnology skills? Survey results indicated that 22% of therespondents strongly agreed and 67% agreed (89% in total) thatthe e-portfolio increased their general technology skills.Additionally, 67% agreed that the e-portfolio aided theirunderstanding of instructional technology. Lastly, 22% stronglyagreed and 44% agreed (66% in total) that the e-portfolio allowedthem the opportunity to demonstrate their technology skills.

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Participant comments complement the quantitative data inthat they reflect an understanding of the goal of buildingtechnological competence as a teaching professional. Oneparticipant noted: “I think the purpose for the electronic portfoliowas to expand my skills in technology as well as display in anorganized manner what I am capable of as a teacher…” and,another graduate stated: “I think [the purpose of the e-portfolioexperience] was to learn about the technology available toteachers...”.

Findings reflect that most student teachers agreed that the e-portfolio experience did indeed aid in the understanding of howto use technology in general and in the classroom. However, somerespondent comments reflect that more timelines and instructionwere necessary to help with the process. One respondentcommented: “Perhaps they could create a timeline for students asthey approach their defense, such as certain dates various aspectsof the portfolio need to be ready.”

Based on the findings, it was recommended that RC: (a)determine the specific technological support needs for studentteachers developing their portfolios and tailor support to meet thecircumstances of student teachers and, (b) construct a timeline forcompleting the e-portfolio that includes suggested deadlines sothat student teachers, with the support of supervising faculty, canmonitor progress.

Mastery of Departmental Goals and Growth

The next key question sought to determine to what degreethe design and presentation of the e-portfolio contributed to theeducation student’s understanding and mastery of departmentalgoals and sub-goals. Findings revealed that most participantsagreed or strongly agreed that the electronic portfolio componenthelped them demonstrate mastery of three departmental goals;specifically, 55% for the departmental content goal; 66% for thepedagogy goal; and 66% for the progress goal. The departmentalgoal of practice was the only one that fell short of a majority; only44% agreed or strongly agreed that the electronic portfolio helpedthem demonstrate mastery of the practice goal. This last findingcould be because demonstrating how one teaches can be morechallenging to display through electronic means via a Web site.

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Beyond demonstrating departmental goals, 66% ofparticipants agreed or strongly agreed that the electronic portfoliohelped them reflect upon their growth and accomplishments. Asone respondent put it: “It was a tool for us to not only displayhow we’ve met the goals of the department, but to organize all ofthe work and materials we’ve created throughout the growthprocess of becoming a teacher.” Another respondent contributed:“It was beneficial to create the Web site, and I feel it was a goodway to showcase my teacher preparation and strengths. Creatingit helped me to recognize my strengths and areas I felt I excelled.”A third respondent commented: “I enjoyed developing it…. It wasinteresting to see how I changed as a person from my freshmanyear, how my goals changed, and how my teaching philosophychanged.”

Even though most findings in this category were positive,the poor response regarding the demonstration of the practicegoal suggests an opportunity for improvement. Thus, it wasrecommended that RC incorporate additional approaches for astudent to demonstrate their mastery of the departmental goal ofpractice, such as short videos of the student teaching and/orvideo blogs of a student critiquing his/her teaching. Suchstrategies would add to existing artifacts, not only aiding in thedemonstration of practice, but also in the development ofadditional technological skills.

Resource for Employment

Another key component of this evaluation was to answerthe question: For those education students who sought teachingjobs, to what degree were they able to utilize the e-portfolio intheir job search? Fifty-five percent of the participants felt that thee-portfolio could be a tool to be shared with employers; 22% didnot. In addition, 55% felt that it was a beneficial experience; 22%did not. Participant comments clearly identified that a significantproblem with the current system is that the e-portfolios aredeleted from the college’s server very soon after studentsgraduate. As one respondent pointed out: “I was pleased with myelectronic portfolio once I finished it. I was glad to have theopportunity to display my work in my student teachingexperience; however, my portfolio is currently no longer

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accessible on the Internet. For all the work and time put into it, itwould have been beneficial to have the Web site remain on theInternet.”

It was recommended that RC develop a system to helpstudents maintain e-portfolio Web access after graduation.Potential solutions include: reserving college server space for adesignated period after graduation and identifying free orinexpensive hosting services for students to rely on upongraduation, even assisting students in completing the transition ofportfolio materials. Further, it was advised that the college coachstudents in their existing job search seminar on how to positiontheir e-portfolios when job hunting; for example, making the WebURL available before the interview as a demonstration of theirteaching and technological competencies. Lastly, it was advisedthat college faculty coach students in the job search seminar onhow to sell their e-portfolio. They can talk about the innovativecharacteristics it possesses and how it demonstrates theirtechnological skills, professional and personal abilities.

Applicability in the Classroom

The final set of key evaluation questions addressed thedegree to which education graduates have (a) utilized electronicportfolio-related technology skills, and (b) benefitted from thegoals relating to content, pedagogy, practice, and progress in theircurrent teaching assignments. Of the nine survey respondents,five were in long-term substitution or full-time teaching positions.Thus, findings in this last category are based on those fiveindividuals. Sixty percent of respondents agreed that they hadutilized the technology skills gained from the e-portfolio in theircurrent classroom situation. Sixty percent agreed or stronglyagreed that they had learned enough to feel motivated toincorporate technology in their current classroom. Additionally,60% agreed that the e-portfolio’s focus on the departmental goalshad aided them in their current classroom situation. However,60% disagreed that they were able to use their e-portfolio as partof finding a job. Overall, findings suggest that recent graduatesfeel that the e-portfolio experience organized around the college’sdepartmental goals has benefitted them as beginning teachers inthe classroom, but not as a tool to aid them in securing a position.

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Scholarly Significance of the Study

This study contributes to research and practice in two ways.First, it demonstrates that collecting data from education studentsregarding their e-portfolio experience can provide an importantlens for teacher educators to formatively evaluate an e-portfolioprocess. Findings can provide benefits for all stakeholders andeven offer a basis for more expedient improvements whendeficiencies are revealed (Ritzhaupt et al., 2008). Ultimately,education students need to be viewed as important stakeholdersand to understand that their perceptions matter and can make adifference (Wetzler & Strudler, 2005). When a formativeevaluation that includes student perceptions is implemented as anintegral part of the design and development of the e-portfolioprocess (Russ-Eft & Preskill, 2001), it contributes a learner-centered element and an informative and valuable perspective forteacher educators.

Secondly, this study validates that an e-portfolio should notbe considered a mere collection of artifacts to show at the end ofan educational program but rather a process for learning (Brandes& Boskic, 2008). When the e-portfolio is developed to be a learner-centered process and communicated as such, students embracethe process more constructively (Barrett, 2007). When the e-portfolio experience includes students reflecting deeply abouttheir own teaching methodology, the process facilitates learning(Strudler & Wetzler, 2008) and provides a basis for students tocontemplate their identities as teachers (Hallman, 2007).

In closing, this study points to the relevance of analyzingstudent perspectives in the e-portfolio process as well as creatinga process that is learner-centered; includes deep reflection on thepart of the education student; and incorporates conversationswith teacher educators regarding how the e-portfolio can beutilized as a tool for learning. As a result of the study, RosselinCollege has already made enhancements to the e-portfolioprogram and, most importantly, now has a practical vehicle, inthe form of an easily administered electronic survey, for ongoingevaluation and revision. Other colleges and universitiesemploying e-portfolios should be encouraged, through the RCexperience, to incorporate formative evaluation and revision intothe e-portfolio process.

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Appendix A

Assessing Rosselin College’s Teacher CandidateElectronic Portfolio

Instructions: Please complete the following survey based on yourexperiences and opinions about completing the Department ofEducation’s Student Teaching Electronic Portfolio. Type youranswers below and return to me via email attachment. Yourindividual responses will remain confidential and anonymous inany of the evaluation report findings.

Part I: General Questions

Creating the electronic portfolio:

5 4 3 2 1

1. increased my knowledge oftechnology in general.

2. increased my knowledge oftechnology that I could use inthe classroom.

3. allowed me the opportunity todemonstrate my knowledge oftechnology.

4. allowed me the opportunity todemonstrate my understanding ofthe departmental goal of content,which relates to the actual subjectmatter that is taught.

5. allowed me the opportunity todemonstrate my understanding ofthe departmental goal of pedagogy,which relates to the manner thatlessons are designed and planned.

Strong

lyDisagree

Disagree

Agree

Strong

lyAgree

Neither

Agree

nor

Disagree

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Additional comments from any of the above questions. Please listthe specific question(s) on which you are commenting.


5 4 3 2 1

6. allowed me the opportunity todemonstrate my understanding ofthe departmental goal of practice,which relates to how the lesson isactually delivered.

7. allowed me the opportunity todemonstrate my understanding ofthe departmental goal of progress,which relates to how I was able togrow professionally in the field ofeducation.

8. provided me with the opportunity toreflect upon my growth andaccomplishments at the end of theeducation program.

9. could be a tool to share withpotential employers, especially thosein the field of education.

10. was a beneficial experience for me.

Strong

lyDisagree

Disagree

Agree

Strong

lyAgree

Neither

Agree

nor

Disagree

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Part II: Short Answer Questions

11. Now that you are finished, how do you currently feel aboutyour electronic portfolio or the process of developing it?

12. What do you think was the primary purpose(s) for theelectronic portfolio that you created?

13. In the future, do you think you will use or adapt the electronicportfolio that you created? Have you already had theopportunity to share your electronic portfolio during anyinterviews?

14. How could the faculty at RC have improved the electronicportfolio or the process by which you developed it?

15. Do you have any further suggestions for how the educationfaculty at RC could have provided more training or support,to prevent excessive work for the end of the semester?

16. Are you currently teaching, even as a substitute teacher? Ifyes, proceed to Part III. If no, you are finished with thesurvey. Thank you!a.Where?b.How long?c.What subject(s) and grade(s)?

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Part III: Teaching-Related Questions

If you are currently teaching, even as a substitute teacher, pleasecontinue below.


5 4 3 2 1

17. has allowed me to utilize thetechnology skills, I learned whiledeveloping the portfolio, in myclassroom.

18. has encouraged me or influenced meto use technology in my classroomwhen available or possible.

19. and its focus on mastering the goalsof content, pedagogy, practice andprogress have aided me in myteaching position.

20. provided me with a visualdemonstration of my skills andaccomplishments that I was able toshare with employers when I wasinterviewing for teaching positions.

Strong

lyDisagree

Disagree

Agree

Strong

lyAgree

Neither

Agree

nor

Disagree

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References

Barrett, H. C. (2007). Researching electronic portfolios and learnerengagement: The REFLECT initiative. Journal of Adolescent &Adult Literacy, 50(6), 436-449.

Brandes, G. M., & Boskic, N. (2008). Eportfolios: From descriptionto analysis. International Review of Research in Open andDistance Learning, 9(2), 1-17.

Hallman, H. L., (2007). Negotiating teacher identity: Exploring theuse of electronic teaching portfolios with preservice English.Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(6), 474-485.

Lynch, L. L., & Purnawarman, P. (2004). Electronic portfolioassessments in U. S. educational and instructionaltechnology programs: Are they supporting teachereducation? TechTrends, 48(1), 50-56.

Ritzhaupt, A., D., Singh, O., Seyferth, T., & Dedrick, R., F. (2008).Development of the electronic portfolio student perspectiveinstrument: An eportfolio integrative initiative. Journal ofComputing in Higher Education, 19(2), 47-71.

Russ-Eft, D., & Preskill, H. (2001). Evaluation in organizations: Asystematic approach to enhancing learning, performance, andchange. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.

Salzman, S., Denner, P., & Harris, L. (2002), Teaching educationoutcomes measures: Special study survey. Paper presented atthe Annual Meeting of the American Association ofColleges of Teacher Education, New York, NY.

Strudler, N., & Wetzler, K. (2008). Costs and benefits of electronicportfolios in teacher education: Faculty perspectives. Journalof Computing in Teacher Education, 24(4), 135-142.

Wang, C.X. (2009). Comprehensive assessment of studentcollaboration in electronic portfolio construction: Anevaluation research. TechTrends, 53(1), 58-66.

Wetzel, K., & Strudler, N. (2005). The diffusion of electronicportfolios in teacher education: Next steps andrecommendations from accomplished. Journal of Research onTechnology in Education, 38(2), 231-243.

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Wilhelm, L., Puckett, K., Beisser, S., Wishart, W., Merideth, E., &Sivakumaran, T. (2006). Lessons learned from theimplementation of electronic portfolios at three universities.TechTrends, 50(4), 62-71.

Williams, M.K., Foulger, T.S., & Wetzel, K. (2009). Preparingpreservice teachers for 21st century classrooms:Transforming attitudes and behaviors about innovativetechnology. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 17(3),393-418.

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Implementation of Service-Learning in Language Courses:A Pilot Experience

Beatriz Huarte MacioneEmory & Henry College

Abstract:This article examines the integration of a service-learning componentinto Spanish language courses at a small four-year liberal arts college inVirginia. It assesses the pros and cons of the mentioned project as wellas the support and resources needed to complete it. Additionally, thispiece describes the benefits derived from this pilot experience for allinvolved: students, faculty, and community members alike.

As an integral part of the educational process at Emory &Henry College, the Appalachian Center for Community Servicepractices a relational, place-based approach to service andeducation linking classroom teaching and learning to persons’ lifeexperiences. In addition to the educational components of thisvital, place-based work, it also carries with it the obligation toprovide a range of resources to serve people and places locally,regionally, nationally, and globally. (Statement of Mission andValues, 1996, p.1)

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Introduction

In June 2008, members of various departments at Emory &Henry College participated in a six-day seminar sponsored by TheAppalachian Center for Community Service. Participantsincluded ten members of the faculty of Emory & Henry Collegefrom the following departments: physical education, music,religion, biology, mass communications, business administration,languages, and theatre. The goal of this seminar was to plan anddiscuss the integration of a service-learning component into avariety of disciplines and courses. Consequently, this seminarenabled the languages department to develop their own ideas andmethods in order to integrate service-learning into selectedSpanish classes. During the seminar, participants learned theimportance of going beyond the classroom setting and thenecessity of making connections with the outside world throughservice-learning, “(…) the academy must look beyond the campuswalls. In other words, a commitment to the common good shouldbe at the center of citizenship, and such a commitment is bestacquired through service in the larger community” (Fisher, 2002,p. 94).

The discussions during this summer seminar allowedparticipants to reflect on the issues entailed by adding a service-learning component to their disciplines and to their specificcourses. Questions brought to their attention dealt with a varietyof topics such as:

1.How was service-learning defined?

2.What resources and support were available?

3.How could service-learning be integrated into a course?

4.Were the extra time, work, and commitment worth it?

5.What were the challenges?

6.What were the benefits?

Participants at the seminar discussed the various definitionsof service-learning. For the languages department at Emory &

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Henry College, some of the characteristics that best exemplifiedlanguages and service-learning encompassed academic learning,benefits for both students and recipients, and commitment to thecommunity. This approach was best articulated by TheCommunity College National Center for CommunityEngagement, “Service-learning programs involve students inorganized community service that addresses local needs, whiledeveloping their academic skills, sense of civic responsibility, andcommitment to the community” (Service-Learning, 2003, p. 9).The languages department at Emory & Henry defined service-learning as a process in which learning takes place through twoavenues: The first is by empowering college-level students toconvey learning to other students; thus, reinforcing student’s ownknowledge of the Spanish language and culture. The secondaffords college-level students an opportunity to participate inservice efforts and, thereby, develop a strong sense ofcommitment to their designated communities.

The Appalachian Center for Community Service providednumerous reading materials, bibliography and made neededresources available. Their members facilitated individualizedmeetings to discuss and mentor projects. They also introducedguest speakers. The strong commitment of the center’s staff toensure the success of the projects became apparent to all involved.Nonetheless, the responses to the rest of the questions requiredeach department to search for answers upon completion of theirprojects. The following is an attempt to answer such questionsbased on the experience of the languages department.

This pilot initiative in the languages department focused ontwo different Spanish classes taught during the 2008-2009academic year: Spanish 351: Advanced Grammar and Compositionand Spanish 203: Spanish Conversation. The time and effortrequired for this enterprise represented a major commitment bythose involved. Nevertheless, the possibilities and benefitsseemed endless as supported by the state of research on thesubject: “However, faculty and administrators alike saw thepotential for enhancing community relations, student learning,and overall scholarship performance of the institution throughapplied scholarship and various forms of community-basedlearning” (Holland & Gelmon, 2003, 195).

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Spanish 351: Advanced Grammar and Composition

In the fall of 2008, the languages department included aservice-component into Spanish 351. All nine students registeredin the class participated in this pilot experience. This coursefocused on an intense grammar review to enable students toexpress themselves both verbally and in written form in the targetlanguage: Spanish. As part of this course, students were requiredto complete a service-learning project which accounted 15% oftheir final grade. During the first week of classes, studentsreceived information concerning potential sites and projects. Thesyllabus provided specific guidelines and expectations from theinstructor to the students:

1. After selecting partners, projects, and appropriate sites,students were to create Spanish lessons includingvocabulary, grammar, activities, and culture.

2. Upon completion of the lessons, students were to teachthose lessons created by them at the selected sites.

3. Students were required to keep a weekly journal for theirspecific project incorporating their personal reflections.

4. Students were responsible for meeting outside theclassroom with their partners and collaborate on theproject. Part of the success on the project depended ontheir willingness to work as a team.

5. Class time was devoted to the discussions of theirprojects and carrying out the project according to anattached schedule. The Spanish term tertulias was usedfor this discussion time.

Students were provided two options to fulfill their service-learning assignment:

Option 1

It required working with The Highlands Project for PublicEducation, a partnership between Emory & Henry College andthe Monroe District Schools of Washington County. TheHighlands Project provided after-school academic program for

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students from third to eighth grades in the area. Five of the ninestudents in the class selected this option. This optionencompassed four parts: to create Spanish units, to teach them tothe children, to keep a journal reflecting on their experiences, andto discuss their project in class with their classmates andinstructor.

Implementation of option 1

The group who selected this option was responsible fordesigning Spanish lessons targeting elementary and middleschool children. Emory & Henry students dedicated the first partof the semester working on their units. They also submitteddetailed information of their work. They included the theme ofthe unit, its description, objectives, materials needed, andactivities developed to reinforce the subject presented. The lessonsconsisted of vocabulary related to numbers, family, animals,sports, and food. They also incorporated units pertaining topiñatas, quinceañeras, Christmas, and Spanish-speaking countrieslike Mexico and Spain. During the second part of the semester,students taught their lessons to the children in one hour intervalsfor five weeks.

As part of their service-learning project experience, studentskept a journal describing their experience including challengesencountered as well as rewards: “Journals can be an effective wayto develop self-understanding and connect the service experienceto the course content.” (Bringle, 113). During the semester, classtime was devoted to discuss topics pertaining to the progress ofthe project, the negatives and positives of such and the value ofservice-learning.

Option 1: Challenges

Students at Emory & Henry faced several obstacles. Themain one was the lack of adequate preparation in dealing withchildren and young people in a classroom setting. For four of thefive students involved in this project, it was their first time asinstructors to children ages 8 to 14. Therefore, they had troublemaintaining discipline and managing the class time.

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The following are excerpts from Emory & Henry students’journals as they reflected on this difficulty:

• Our first day of teaching was, well, exciting to say the least.As I wandered into the basement of the chapel to find thekids I was supposed to be working with, the last thing Iexpected was to see around fifty of them doing a numberof things ranging from running, screaming, doinghomework, crying, yelling, more screaming. At that point Irealized that I would be lucky to make it out of thebasement alive when my time with the kids was up.

• The attitude of the students was disappointing, but thosestudents who told us what they remember from theprevious days outweighed the negative.

• This group would not focus and had a very hard timelistening to me and respecting me.

• They really weren’t as bad as we made them out to be, butthey were hard to deal with.

• After my experience with them, I don’t think it was all thatbad, but I could see how the kids could be a handful if youlet them get to you.

Also, there were difficulties trying to work outside the classroomas a group. Some students complained on the fact that certainmembers of the group carried most of the work of the projectwhile others did not fulfill their expected responsibilities.Another concern stated by students was “the overkill onpaperwork for students that were not part of the AppalachianCenter.”

Option 1: Rewards

Despite the challenges, the benefits of the project wereapparent. Emory & Henry College students recognized thepositive impact of this project and expressed thus in their finalreflections:

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• The service learning experience was a good idea…I believeit was helpful to us and the children.

• I really enjoyed the whole experience and felt that all of thekids learned a lot. Hopefully they will be able to carryover the knowledge.

• I know this journal makes it seem like I have changed careerplans, but something happened today that make me desireteaching even more. A girl in my third group came to meexcited and recited 0 to 10 in Spanish and one ofStephanie’s kids did the same. We were all so happy thatwe were really teaching something to the children. Ibelieve this further proves that we were really teachingsomething to the children. I believe this further provesthat we really do make a difference in the lives of those oflook up to us.

• The community service portion of Spanish 351 is over. Allin all, it was a great experience. It’s a good feeling to usewhat I have learned to help and teach others even it iselementary/middle school students…Please keep this as apart of Spanish 351.

Option 2

It entailed working with Mt.Rogers Regional AdultEducation program which offered English for Speakers of OtherLanguages (ESOL) classes at Pleasant View Methodist Church.Four students selected this option. This project centered on thecreation of language units in both Spanish and English forSpanish-speaking adults in our area, teaching the lessons, keepinga journal, and participating in the discussions of their project inclass.

Implementation of option 2

This group required to create units including vocabularyand activities related to common challenges that adults encounteras they struggle with a language barrier. Some of these lessonsencompassed situations such as visiting a doctor or a dentist,going to a hospital, shopping, filling out forms, etc. As part of this

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project, students were responsible for teaching these lessons andpreparing activities. Such lessons focused on developing verbalcommunication and conversation rather than written work. As inoption 1, the first part of the semester was spent working on theirunits and the second part teaching them to the adults in one and ahalf hour intervals for four weeks. Students also kept a journalreflecting on the project and participated in the tertulias ordiscussions in class.

Option 2: Challenges

The main obstacle of this project was the inability of some ofthe Emory & Henry students to work together. Certain membersof the group did not participate nor did they cooperate with therest of their fellow classmates. As a result, several membersworked a lot harder than others creating conflict amongthemselves. They expressed their frustrations in their journals:

• So, we were supposed to meet tonight, and he was going tobring his laptop and we were going to collaborativelycreate the lesson plans. However, that didn’t happen…wedidn’t have any computer or anything to work on becausehe didn’t show up at all. It is 11:30 and he just messagedme and said, “Oh, I forgot…” So typical…

• He didn’t come to the planning session tonight. He said thathe would be here, but he didn’t show up.

Option 2: Rewards

Despite the mentioned obstacle, Emory & Henry studentswere able to prepare their units and successfully taught them tothe adults. They received excellent evaluations from the sitedirector. Also, the satisfaction among this group was very high asreflected on their journals:

• I had a really good time with this project and I’m veryhappy that I got the opportunity to use my Spanish andget a little more comfortable speaking Spanish to nativespeakers…

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• Well, it is our last night. Actually, the last time was our lastrequired night, but we are going back…Honestly, I wish Ihad time to keep going to the classes-I really enjoyed it.

• Overall, I had a very positive experience with this servicelearning project. In a way it made me feel good that wewere providing this service to people who otherwisewouldn’t be receiving that service. It really made meappreciate what an uphill battle it is to become acclimatedto a culture. I can say for a fact that it makes me want to domore in this respect. And it also had its benefits for me. Ithelped me to improve my communication skills, especiallyin Spanish where I learned new words and new ways tosay things.

Spanish 203: Spanish Conversation

In the spring of 2009, the languages departmentincorporated a service-component into Spanish 203. This coursefocused on the development of listening, comprehension, andverbal skills at an intermediate level in Spanish. This class alsoemphasized vocabulary acquisition and the development ofreading skills. As in Spanish 351, the eight students enrolled inthis course were required to complete a service-learning projectwhich accounted for 15% of their final grade. The syllabusprovided specific guidelines and expectations from the instructorto the students as discussed for Spanish 351. During the first weekof classes, students received information concerning theirassigned site: Marion Primary School.

Implementation

This group was expected to work with Marion PrimarySchool through its after-school program, Star Mountain Club.They were to work with children from pre-k to second grades.Students spent the first part of the semester working on theirlessons and the last part of such teaching their lessons created inone hour intervals for five weeks. The implementation of theirlessons followed the following format, as recommended by theprogram director:

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1. Day 1: Students prepared half an hour of activities workingtogether in a big group that included all the children fromthe after school program. After the first day, students hadthe option to work individually with a group of fourchildren or work with a classmate with a group of eight tonine children.

2. Day 2: They worked on days of the week. They also createdValentine cards in Spanish.

3. Day 3: They learned vocabulary about family and animals.4. Day 4: The lesson involved working with colors.5. Day 5: Students prepared a fiesta with games, food, and

activities for the children.

As in previous options, participants were required to submit theirreflections in a journal form and to participate in class discussionsor tertulias.

Challenges

This group faced the most obstacles of all. The distance tothe site was one of them since students were expected to travel forapproximately 45 miles round-trip to teach their lessons.Additionally, some students expressed concerns about theinadequate correlation between the service-learning project andthe content of the course. Also, students were not aware of theservice-learning component when they registered for the class. Asa result, this issue generated high levels of dissatisfaction amongthe class.

The following comments express the challenges these studentsfaced:

• The course is in conversation and we didn’t haveconversations or speak in Spanish, the kids barely knewEnglish! And we were teaching such basic things…itwasn’t really beneficial to the class itself.

• However, I would like to have known about it before Iregistered for the class because of how much scheduling

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goes into it. Also, our project I don’t think was the mostfitting for our class.

• I also think we should have been aware of the servicecomponent before we started the class.

Rewards

Despite the obstacles, students responded positively to theintegration of service-learning into the course as expressed intheir journals:

•I thought the component added to experience in the classbecause we were teaching kids Spanish, and teachingmaterial to other people helped me in my conversationskills.

•I really liked the service learning aspect of the class becauseit gives us a chance to practice what we know.

•The service learning concept is great!•I’ve really enjoyed this assignment because I got to do

several of my favorite things, teach, speak Spanish, andwork with kids.

•The teachers and staff at Marion were kind, caring andconsiderate. They were also very involved with thechildren and their activities. Every time we left the schoolwe got thank you’s from everyone we saw. I really enjoyedworking at Marion Elementary.

Conclusion

Adding a service-learning component to Spanish courses atEmory & Henry College was a challenging but rewardingexperience for the languages department. It was challengingbecause such integration required intense preparation and timecommitment on part of the faculty. The Faculty was compelled todeal with a variety of issues such as the selection of the site andthe logistics involved, ensuring the appropriate relationship

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between the project and the course material, and dealing with theunknown and unexpected issues that surfaced throughout thisprocess. The Appalachian Center for Community Service provedto be crucial to the success of this endeavor.

Undoubtedly, the benefits of integrating service-learninginto Spanish classes offset the challenges. This service-learningbenefited the community by fulfilling its needs. It also positivelyimpacted the languages faculty at Emory & Henry College.Spanish language became alive by expanding one’s teachingoutside the parameters of the classroom. It connected faculty withmembers of the community as they work together for a commoncause developing and fostering professional relationships andpartnerships. Additionally, it provided a new field of research tothose involved. More importantly, students participating in thispilot experience also benefited greatly by:

1. practicing the material learned in class thus making it morerelevant

2. exposing them to a different method of learning3. establishing a connection with their community4.working in groups and dealing with different personalities5. solving problems6. exposing them to a different culture and people (depending

on the project)7. developing a special bond among classmates8. helping others9. promoting good citizenship

The languages department at Emory & Henry will implementagain service-learning in languages courses during the 2010-2011academic year.

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References

Fisher, S. (2002). Making Hope Practical and DespairUnconvincing: Some thoughts on TransformativeEducation. Appalachian Journal, Fall 2002-Winter 2002, 90-97.

Holland, B., & Gelmon, S. (2003). The State of the EngagedCampus: What Have We Learned About Building andSustaining University-Community Partnerships. In S. Jones(Ed.), Introduction to Service-Learning Toolkit (pp.195-198).Providence, RI: Campus Compact.

Service-Learning: Definitions and Principles of Good Practice(2003). In S. Jones (Ed.), Introduction to Service-Learning Toolkit(pp.7-10). Providence, RI: Campus Compact.

Statement of Mission and Values (1996). Emory & Henry CollegeAppalachian Center for Community Service, 1-4.

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Student Perception of Professional Education Organizations

Amanda B. McMillianMichelle B. Goodwin

Liberty University

Abstract:This study highlights perceptions of undergraduate students in theeducation program at a private, religious university in Virginia.Teacher candidate responses to an online survey portrayed views on theimportance of joining and participating in local and national levelprofessional education organizations (n=57). The responses reflectedcandidates’ perceptions of service, camaraderie, career preparation, andother opportunities that professional organizations seek to provide.

How long does it take to become an effective teacher?Stronge (2002) states that becoming an effective teacher is “alifelong pursuit” (p. 64). Teacher preparation programs seek toprovide opportunities for growth in knowledge, practice, andprofessionalism as they prepare students for the teachingprofession. Dewey explains that the transition from college to theclassroom must come after a teacher is prepared with a repertoireof strategies, skills, and experiences (as cited in Steffy, Wolfe,Pasch, & Enz, 2000).

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Hart (2004) and Pajares (1992) assert that the beliefs held bypre-service teachers create “a powerful vehicle for providingeffective teacher preparation” (as cited in Parker & Brindley, 2008,p. 2). According to Combs, Blume, Newman, and Wass (1974),evaluation of teacher preparation programs through feedbackfrom learners is vital in order to improve future programdecisions. The present study focuses on one area of interest andpresents the question: Does the pre-service teacher ultimatelybelieve that membership in an educational organization isbeneficial in his or her lifelong pursuit of becoming an effectiveteacher?

At one private, religious university, the candidates forgraduation from the School of Education are required to join andparticipate in at least one professional organization. Therequirement is currently located on the Field ExperienceSummary (FES), which is a document kept by all educationmajors throughout their undergraduate careers to recordundergraduate education experiences. The experiences areassessed for completion during the student teaching semester.Organizations may include Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), Council forExceptional Children (CEC), and other reputable organizations(either on-campus or online). The purpose of the survey at handwas to explore student perception of this professionalrequirement.

Review of Literature

Professional education organizations provide numerousopportunities for teachers to increase in their professionalknowledge, connect with local school systems, experienceclassroom settings, connect with the community, and engage withfellow students and practicing teachers. Organization membersgain necessary skills for being effective teachers, practicingleadership, committing to service, and attending conferences andworkshops to gain insight into the education profession (KappaDelta Pi, 2010).

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Field Experiences

Steffy et al. (2000) considers field experiences withpartnering schools or in other settings to be “the most meaningfulcomponent of formal teacher education” (p. 35). According toCombs et al. (1974), student involvement should be “community-wide in scope” (p. 152). Therefore, as pre-service teachersparticipate in professional education organizations, they increasein their effectiveness by serving local schools and families whoparticipate in community opportunities sponsored byprofessional organizations. Additionally, more field experiencesallow pre-service teachers to be drawn to a specific grade level orage of children, thus increasing effectiveness according to the agewith which teachers realize they work best (Combs et al., 1974).

Combs et al. (1974) says that teacher preparation programsshould not only enable their students to gain knowledge, but theyshould also allow students opportunities to act on theirknowledge. Teacher-preparation programs in the past completelyfocused on courses and the acquisition of knowledge, having beensolely residential with no required field experiences. In contrast,Combs considers one of the least effective methods of teacherpreparation to be telling students how to be teachers withoutshowing them their need to be effective teachers. Educators whoteach students in preparation programs “have long beenconvinced of the importance of involvement” (Combs et al., 1974,p. 36).

Professional Development

Seiffert (1999) proclaims that “professionalism is a processmore than an outcome” (as cited in Helterbran, 2008, p. 126).When pre-service teachers participate as in professional educationorganizations, they engage in professional development. Theirtraining in professionalism through membership in professionalorganizations is transferred directly into the classroom. In fact,research proposes that pre-service teachers who receivedprofessional development in a teacher education program willexhibit greater classroom success than those who strive to excel ontheir own (as cited in Steffy, et. al, 2000).

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Portfolios

Many teacher preparation programs ask students to prepareportfolios to be shown to future employers. Portfolios help “buildthe level of self-knowledge and sense of responsibility needed”during the transition from student to teacher (as cited in Steffy, et.al, 2000, p. 38). More and more preparation programs are movingtowards the usage of electronic portfolios, such as LiveText (Ntuli,Keengwe, & Kyei-Blankson, L., 2009). With the implementation ofprofessional organization involvement into preparation programs,students gain professional practice and pictures that may bedocumented and later shown to employers. Organizationinvolvement ultimately shows future employers that an aspiringteacher was committed to professional education prior to seekingschool employment.

Benefits During the Teaching Profession

Professionalism does not stop at graduation from anundergraduate education program. How do teachers continue togrow? A principal named Janice Hogan says, “In order to growprofessionally, it is important for teachers to participate in theirprofessional organizations” (Hurst & Reding, 2009, p. 65).Hurst and Reding (2009) explain that being a part of aprofessional organization “is an excellent way to stay up to datein your field” (p. 65). Teachers are able to join organizations thatdeal directly with the subject they may teach. All subjects andareas of learning have similar professional organizations for thevarious fields of study in math, science, technology and evenmusic. The organizations allow teachers to gain knowledge of thecurrent developments in their area of study and practice.

Organizations host conferences and distribute journals thatinform teachers of up to date research in their fields as well asenable them to implement new teaching methods, ideas, andstrategies into their classrooms. Conferences held byorganizations may last one or two days to one week. Teachersfrom across the nation and world may come to a chosen city tofellowship, learn with, and learn from fellow educators.Organizations may publish articles, newspapers, journals, ormagazines that give excellent and practical advice for both

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pre-service and practicing teachers. These publications may bedistributed monthly, yearly, or on a seasonal basis (Hurst &Reding, 2009).

As members of organizations, in-service teachers receiveprofessional development training that directly affects studentsuccess. According to Stronge (2002), there exists a positiverelationship “between student achievement and how recently anexperienced teacher took part in a professional developmentopportunity such as a conference, workshop, or graduate class”(p. 6). Therefore, student achievement is related to theprofessional training of in-service teachers as a result oforganization involvement.

Some organizations also offer support or defense concerningunjust accusations or discrimination. An additional advantage isthat some organizations may offer liability insurance for teachersas a benefit of membership (Hurst & Reding, 2009). Hurst andReding (2009) encourage new teachers who start a teaching job to“ask teachers in your building or district what organizations theybelong to and ask for information regarding these to help youdecide which would be the best fit for you” (p. 66).

Schools of Education are responsible for effectivelypreparing and transitioning their candidates into the teachingprofession. To assist in this endeavor, a specific School ofEducation at one university requires candidates to join andparticipate in at least one professional organization prior to theirgraduation from the teacher education program. Organizationsmay include Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), Council for ExceptionalChildren (CEC), and other reputable organizations (either on-campus or online). Teacher candidates in this program weresurveyed to explore perceived satisfaction of this professionalrequirement.

Method

Participants

Four hundred five survey links were sent via email toteacher candidates actively enrolled in sophomore, junior, andsenior level residential education courses at the university. Mosteducation majors at the university do not join a professional

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education organization until their sophomore year of college.Each student was pursuing one of the following Educationlicensures: Elementary Education Licensure, Secondary EducationLicensure, or Elementary and Special Education Dual Licensure(see Table 1).

Seven professors at the university played a vital role in theimplementation of the survey. Professors who taught studentswith the college status of sophomore, junior, senior, or studentteacher received an email that contained a link to the survey andwere asked to send the email to their students.

Survey

The survey included one question asking the type oflicensure the participant was seeking, six scale-based questions,five open-ended response questions, and one yes or no question.Students answered the given a scale of one to five, one meaningStrongly Disagree and five meaning Strongly Agree. The scaledquestions were as follows:

1. Is it a justifiable requirement to join a professionalorganization?

2.Did the organization you chose provide sufficientexperiences for meaningful service and contribution?

3.Did the organization you chose provide learningopportunities?

4.Did you experience a sense of community and camaraderieas a result of your membership in the organization of yourchoice?

5.Did this camaraderie with fellow members encourage youto stay in your chosen field and improve your practice?

6.Do you believe you are better prepared for your professionas a result of joining the organization?

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Open-ended question were as follows:

1.Describe your organization.2.What is most beneficial about the organization?3.What were the most meaningful experiences you had as a

member of this organization?4.What things do you wish were different about the

organization?5.Do you recommend that the Education Department keep

professional organization membership a requirement inthe future? (Yes/No) Why or why not?

Procedure

The survey was given through LiveText, an onlineaccreditation management system the university uses as atechnological means to develop, assess, and measure studentlearning (LiveText, Inc., 2009). Students were instructed to clickthe survey link provided in the email sent by professors.Participants were asked to complete the survey once for eachprofessional education organization of which they were amember. Organizations may have required on-campus or onlinemembership. Students were asked to complete the survey byWednesday, December 16, 2009.

Results

Fifty-seven of 405 Education students responded to thesurvey. Excel was used to collect and interpret data. Table 1shows the percentage and number of students in the sample ofeach type of education licensure offered by the university. Table 2shows response percentages and number values of the sample(n=57). These numerical values were calculated based on thegiven scale to show how many students chose each level ofagreement.

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Scaled Questions

The following are the results of the scaled questions:

Results to Question 1 show that a total of 66% of therespondents indicated the university’s requirement to join aprofessional education organization is justifiable (see Table 2).

Question 2 results show affirmative perceptions oforganizational involvement and meaningful contribution tosociety (see Table 2). Service opportunities provided byprofessional organizations at the university promote contributionsto others that were meaningful for the participants.

Results to Question 3 confirm that organizationalmembership does provide learning opportunities for teachercandidates (see Table 2). Students believe their organizationsallow them to learn from the opportunities and events in whichthey participate.

As Table 2 shows, Question 4 results portray a mixture ofresponses regarding the community and camaraderie experiencesof teacher candidates in relation to their organizationalinvolvement. Over half of the respondents Strongly Agreed orAgreed and believed their organization provided community andcamaraderie experiences. However, it should be noted that asignificant percentage (23%) of respondents disagreed withQuestion 4.

The responses to Question 5 show that almost half of therespondents assert that camaraderie among members in theirorganizations encourage them to continue in preparing to beprofessional educators and become more effective at teaching.

According to the results of Questions 6, organizationmembers acknowledge they are preparing for their future careersas teachers and believe their preparation through organizationalmembership is important (see Table 2).

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Table 1

Licensure of Survey Respondents

Question: Which of the following denotes the licensure you areseeking?

Percentage Number ofStudents

Elementary Education Licensure 51% 29Elementary and Special Education

Dual Licensure 33% 19Secondary Education Licensure 16% 9

Total 100% 57

Table 2

Scaled Question Responses as a Percentage and Numerical Value of theSample

Question 1: Is it a justifiable requirement to join a professionalorganization?


1 Strongly Disagree 2% 12 Disagree 12% 73 Neutral 19% 114 Agree 40% 235 Strongly Agree 26% 15

Total 100% 57

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Question 2: Did the organization you chose provide sufficientexperiences for meaningful service and contribution?



Total 100% 57

Question 3: Did the organization you chose provide learningopportunities?


1 Strongly Disagree 5% 32 Disagree 7% 43 Neutral 9% 54 Agree 40% 235 Strongly Agree 37% 21Blank (not answered) 2% 1

Total 100% 57

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Question 4: Did you experience a sense of community andcamaraderie as a result of your membership in the organization ofyour choice?



Total 100% 57

Question 5: Did this camaraderie with fellow members encourageyou to stay in your chosen field and improve your practice?



Total 100% 57

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Question 6: Do you believe you are better prepared for yourprofession as a result of joining the organization?



Total 100% 57

Open-Ended Questions

The open-ended answer portion of the survey revealedvarious opinions regarding organizations and membership. Thefollowing discussion presents participant responses to the open-ended questions.

Question 1 of the open-ended portion of the survey says,“Describe your organization.” Participant #6 responded with thefollowing: “I am a member of KDP. This organization is foreducation majors who are given opportunities to learn anddevelop their professional career. We have been givenopportunities to be involved around the community, and withdifferent elementary schools.” Participant #51 described his orher organization with the following: “PARC-Piedmont AreaReading Council. This is a group dedicated to implementing andproviding up-to-date reading strategies and studies to equipeducators to teach reading strategies to all levels of students in theVirginia Piedmont region.” Both students appeared to have anaccurate grasp of the purpose of their organizations due to theirpersonal involvement.

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Question 2 says, “What is most beneficial about theorganization?” Participant #32 states, “I think that theinformation that the meetings give to future teachers in alleducational levels is excellent. It gives great ideas for teaching,and allows candidates to see what teaching will be like and howto deal with certain situations.”

Question 3 says, “What were the most meaningfulexperiences you had as a member of this organization?”Participant #46 shares, “My most meaningful experiencesinvolved community work that I participated in, A Walk-a-Thonfor a chair lift in a pool, Literacy Alive, Linkhorne's Fall Festival,donating books and school supplies to Bass Elementary. Thisorganization prepared me and then offered opportunities to workwith real students and truly see how effective I was personally. Italso opened my eyes to how much I love teaching and broughtout my passion for helping people.” As seen here, personalexperiences greatly impact organizational members.

Question 4 states, “What things do you wish were differentabout the organization?” Participant #55 responded: “The pricesto join because they are very expensive for college students.”Better organization and community among members were alsodesires of participants.

According to percentage results of Question 5 of the open-ended questions, more than half of survey participants said theEducation Department should keep their professionalorganization a requirement in the future (see Table 3). Onestudent who answered the open-ended portion of the question(“Why or why not?”) said, “I think they should keep requiring itbecause it gives the future teacher a glimpse of what they will beexpected to do when they are educators in the professionalworld.” This student affirms the preparation he or she isreceiving through organization participation.

Question 5 also revealed students in opposition to theEducation Department’s requirement for students to beorganization members. The cost of organizational membershipswas mentioned by several survey participants.

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Table 3

Membership Requirement in the Future

Question 5: Do you recommend that the Education Departmentkeep professional organization membership a requirement in thefuture? Why or why not?


Y (Yes) 61% 35N (No) 37% 21Blank (not answered) 2% 1Total 100% 57

Discussion

Results showed an overall satisfaction with the EducationDepartment’s requirement for its majors to be a member of at leastone professional organization.

Scaled Questions

The results to Question 1 (see Table 2) could be beneficial tofaculty administrators in the university’s School of Education.With the given results, leadership faculty members can view theperceived relevance of the Experience Summary requirements.They may decide whether the requirement to be a member of atleast one professional organization should remain or be removedfrom the Field Experience Summary.

With over half of the respondents in favor of organizationalmembership, the department can more assertively justify why itrequires pre-service teachers to be members of at least oneeducation organization. Additionally, the university’s on-campuseducation organizations may operate in greater confidence withthe awareness that the majority of students believe therequirement to be a member of at least one organization is ajustifiable requirement.

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Question 2 shows that teacher candidates participated inmeaningful experiences incorporating service and contribution(see Table 2). Organizations look not only inwardly towards itsmembers, but outwardly towards others. For this reason, teachercandidates participate in events, activities, and efforts to serveothers and contribute to their well-being.

In reference to Question 3, beneficial learning opportunitiesmay come from field experiences with partnerships betweenorganizations and the local schools or the local community (seeTable 2). Continued partnerships based on service would bebeneficial for the university’s teacher candidates as well as localschools and the local community.

Question 4 reveals a noteworthy percentage of teachercandidates who disagreed with the amount of experience gainedfrom organizational involvement (see Table 2). This significantpercentage of disagreement may provoke the educationorganizations on the university’s campus to provide moreopportunities for fellowship and member interaction. Increasedopportunities for gathering and interacting may promotecommunity and camaraderie within the organizations.

Referring to the results of Question 4 and Question 5 (seeTable 2), it may be beneficial for organizations on the university’scampus to investigate whether camaraderie or otherorganizational aspects caused the encouragement. Organizationsmay then enhance the area(s) of cause to further encourage thecontinuation of teaching preparation and effectiveness.

It is interesting that 25% of the participants indicated“Disagreed” in response to Question 6 (see Table 2). It would beof great interest to ask students to name specific reasons for theiracknowledgement of little to no preparation in regards to theirorganization involvement. Asking for detailed suggestions ofhow to effectively prepare pre-service teachers throughorganizational membership may be beneficial as well.

Open-Ended Questions

Students used affirmative descriptions of their organizationsin response to Question 1. Teacher candidates mentionedprofessional development opportunities, teacher preparation,listening to speakers, as well as connecting and serving with peers

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in the undergraduate education program. These descriptionsreveal the impact organizations have in shaping aspiring teachers.

Responses to Question 2 included beneficial aspects oforganizations. Beneficial activities for both for teacher candidatesand the community were referenced. Encouraging speakers,website and mailing resources, and community experiences allowteacher candidates to experience the beneficial aspects oforganizational involvement. For example, with KDP, studentsbenefit from listening to guest speakers at monthly chaptermeetings. Occasionally, panels of either student teachers orprincipals share wisdom they have acquired through personalexperiences. Members learn and gain insight from hearingexperienced educators such as these.

Question 3 responses reveal meaningful events that teachercandidates experience as organization members. Working closelywith teachers, being role models to students, attendingconferences, and making acquaintances in the field of educationallow candidates to witness the significant impact organizationscan have both personally and in the lives of others.

In response to Question 5 one participant affirmed therequirement of organizational involvement by referencingprofessionalism and future employers: “I believe it helps us asstudents and future educators to plan ahead. Theseorganization[s] are going to mean a lot to our future employers.It will show them that even while we were in the process ofbecoming teachers we were taking ourselves seriously andpresenting ourselves in a professional manner.” This studentconsiders job applications, interviews, and employment coupledwith professionalism to be of great importance. Employers willlook to see how teaching applicants have efficiently pursuedpreparation opportunity and ways to develop professionalism.

In contrast to the affirmative perceptions of professionalorganizations, responses to Question 4 portrayed negative aspectsof organizations, or aspects teacher candidates wished weredifferent. The following words were negatively referenced in theopen-ended portion of the survey: fee, money, expensive, andtime.

The term “fee” was negatively referenced four times,“money” negatively referenced fourteen times, and “expensive”negatively referenced eleven times. Most organizations require

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membership fees to contribute to funding for organizationalmeetings, supplies, events, and conferences. Money may also berequired to contribute to or participate in service projects. Givingmoney to organizations, in addition to paying for college,increases the financial strain of many teacher candidates.

In some survey responses, time was the main negativeaspect. With the word “time” referenced negatively eleven times,it is evident that organization time commitments can greatlyinfluence the limited amount of free time educations majors. Thenumber of mandatory events required by organizations receivedseveral negative references. Fundraising activities, communityservice projects, monthly meetings, and organization conferencesare simply a few events in which teacher candidates may be askedto or required to participate.

Therefore, revealed weaknesses, or negative aspects, oforganizational membership at the university include fees andtime. These word references may provoke the university’sEducation Department to ask organizations to investigate ways todecrease organization fees as well as evaluate the amount of timepresently required for members.

Summary

The expected outcome of the administered survey was thatstudents would see their membership and involvement inprofessional education organizations as both beneficial andmeaningful. While student perception of the professionalrequirement of organizational membership showed variousopinions, 66% of respondents believe the Education Department’srequirement is justifiable (see Table 1) and 61% of respondentsbelieve the Education Department should keep the requirement inthe future (see Table 3). These percentages confirm that theEducation Department’s organization requirement is a justifiablerequirement.

The university’s future organizational endeavors may reflectthe given survey results. With the addressed strengths,organizations may confidently continue to provide students withopportunities for meaningful service and communitycontribution. With the results of the survey, organizations maymore purposefully spur their members into serving students in

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local schools and members of the community, recognizing thevalue in member contributions. Additionally, organizations mayreceive assurance in their efforts to provide pre-service teachersnumerous learning opportunities through field experiences, atmonthly meetings, or through conferences.

With the weakness revealed from survey results, theorganizations may consider and evaluate organization fees andtime commitments. Reconsidering the number of activities or thenumber of required monthly meetings may allow students tomore readily approve of requirements. Organizations may alsothink of ways to build camaraderie at chapter meetings. Forexample, by implementing games or team-building activities intochapter meetings and events, members have the opportunity tointeract with peers.

The organizational benefits of service opportunities,experiences, professional preparation, community andcamaraderie, and learning opportunities give the EducationDepartment’s organizations a firm foundation for their existences.While focusing on strengths and addressing weaknesses, theorganizations may purposefully fulfill their individual missions.Ultimately, should membership in a professional organization bea requirement for college students pursuing teacher licensure?According to the administered survey results, membership in aprofessional organization should be a requirement for collegestudents pursuing teacher licensure at the university. The benefitsand effects are numerous.

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References

Combs, A.W., Blume, R. A., Newman, A. J., & Wass, H. L. (1974).The professional education of teachers: A humanistic approach toteacher preparation (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Helterbran, V. (2008). Professionalism: Teachers taking the reins.Clearing House, 81(3), 123-127.

Hurst, B., & Reding, G. (2009). Professionalism in teaching (3rd ed.).Boston: Pearson Education.

Kappa Delta Pi. (2010). About KDP. Retrieved fromhttp://www.kdp.org/aboutkdp/.

LiveText, Inc. (2009). Livetext. Retrieved fromhttps://www.livetext.com/.

Ntuli, E., Keengwe, J., & Kyei-Blankson, L. (2009). Electronicportfolios in teacher education: A case study of earlychildhood teacher candidates. Early Childhood EducationJournal, 37(2), 121-126.

Parker, A., & Brindley, R. (2008). Exploring graduate elementaryeducation pre-service teachers' initial teaching beliefs.Professional Educator, 32(2), 12-24.

Steffy, B. E., Wolfe, M. P., Pasch, S. H., & Enz, B.J. (2000). Life cycleof the career teacher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Stronge, J. H. (2002). Qualities of effective teachers. Alexandria,VA:Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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